Manitowoc Lincoln’s Jacque Bartow has coached or competed in gymnastics for 27 of the 37 years since the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association started allowing schools to form co-op teams.
Gymnastics is one of two sports, along with girls hockey, that have seen co-ops dominate the competition since 1982. The last time a gymnastics co-op did not finish in the top two at state in Division 1 was 1991, which is a major reason a new rule will be enacted next season, Bartow said.
“The super teams are exactly why the rule was created,” Bartow said.
The WIAA allows high schools to form co-op teams for the purpose of giving students athletic opportunities that might not otherwise exist at their school. If, for instance, a student wants to play hockey but his or her school doesn’t offer the sport, a co-op with a school that does offer the sport not only allows the student to compete but also helps the school guard against losing that student through open enrollment.
Manitowoc Herald Times